The decision by a court in Bahrain to reduce the prison sentence given to a man who died four months ago has drawn attention to the country’s justice system, which critics say is profoundly unfair and heavily politicised, reports the BBC’s Bill Law.

Mohammed Ali Ahmed Mushaima, whose court case continued months after he had died

Then, in a bizarre twist, Mushaima’s prison sentence was surprisingly reduced to three years by a civilian appeal court earlier this month.

His former lawyer, Mohsen al-Alawi, told the BBC that even though he told the court that his client had died in October 2012, the case continued.

“The charges were made against a group of defendants, and despite the fact that every time my client’s name was called in court I answered that he was dead, the court was not interested and treated all of the cases as one case.”

Bahrain’s judicial system was heavily criticised by the Egyptian lawyer Cherif Bassiouni, who chaired the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), which published a groundbreaking report on human rights abuses during the 2011 uprising.

The report was commissioned by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa who accepted its findings, including those regarding the use of torture by police, in November 2011.

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You can’t say that justice has been done when calling for Bahrain to be a republic gets you a life sentence and the officer who repeatedly fired on an unarmed man at close range only gets seven years”

Cherif Bassiouni Former chairman of Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

In December 2012, Mr Bassiouni told Human Rights Watch (HRW): “A number of recommendations on accountability were either not implemented or implemented only half-heartedly.”

He was particularly critical of the decision of Bahrain’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, to allow evidence to stand despite credible allegations of torture. He cited one case where the court declared the defendant’s confession admissible because it was made several days after the torture occurred.

“I cannot think of a more egregious and specious legal opinion – admitting that the torture occurred but ruling the confession admissible and allowing the conviction to stand,” Mr Bassiouni said.

He added: “You can’t say that justice has been done when calling for Bahrain to be a republic gets you a life sentence and the officer who repeatedly fired on an unarmed man at close range only gets seven years.”

The case to which Mr Bassiouni was referring involved a police officer who shot dead a protester. He was subsequently convicted of manslaughter and was sentenced to seven years in jail.

Two other police officers were convicted of beating to death businessman Karim Fakhawri while in custody. They too received seven-year prison sentences, but are currently free while their appeals are heard.

Thirteen opposition leaders and human rights activists have, however, been sentenced to between five years and life in prison on evidence widely accepted as being obtained under torture. They were convicted of plotting to overthrow the government.

Last week, the main opposition group, al-Wifaq, denounced “the politicisation and exploitation of the judiciary by regime officials”.

Al-Wifaq was angered by the rejection of an appeal from two men convicted of murdering a policeman in March 2011, one of whom was sentenced to death and the other to life in prison.

The contrast between the treatment of anti-government protesters and the police officers could not, al-Wifaq argued, be more stark.

‘Extracted under duress’

Jalila al-Sayed, a human rights lawyer in Manama, says that there are “two sets of justice – one for the police and one for the protesters.”

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There is a double standard, absolutely there is, in how the cases are handled”

Jalila al-Sayed Human rights lawyer

Ms Sayed cites the case of one of her clients, Mahdi Abu Deib, the head of Bahrain’s teachers’ union.

In September 2011, he was sentenced to 10 years in jail by a military court for “calling to forcefully overthrow the regime in union statements”. The conviction was based largely on the strength of a confession allegedly extracted under duress, Ms Sayed says.

She adds that Mr Abu Deib was critically injured at the time of his arrest because he was pushed by police officers off the roof of his house.

Mr Abu Deib testified about his mistreatment to the BICI.

But Ms Sayed says his case had never been investigated, and that no charges had been brought against the arresting officers, or those she alleges abused him in detention.

“There is a double standard, absolutely there is, in how the cases are handled,” she adds.

Princess charged

The authorities continue to insist that those responsible for human rights abuses are being brought to justice.

Indeed, when the Justice Minister, Sheikh Khaled bin Ali al-Khalifa, was asked by the BBC last year how high the investigations would go he replied: “As high as necessary.”

Princess Noura bint Ebrahim al-Khalifa has been in court to answer torture charges

The 29 year old, who denies the charges, appeared in court on two successive days last week to hear the allegations.

In one case, the princess is accused of torturing two doctors, Ghassan and Bassem Daif, brothers who worked at the Salmaniya Medical Complex.

Staff at the facility went to help injured protesters after security police used force to disperse thousands of people who had camped out at the iconic former Pearl Roundabout in Manama in February 2011.

In March and April 2011, many of the medical staff were arrested and detained. It is alleged that Princess Noura tortured the doctors at that time.

Ms Qurmazi’s lawyer, Reem Khalaf, told the BBC that on one occasion while she was being beaten around her head, the blindfold slipped and she saw the princess.

“Noura was very angry that Ayat had seen her,” Ms Khalaf said.

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I agree with Cherif that the system as a whole finds dissent more dangerous than official criminality”

Sir Nigel Rodley Former member of Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Ms Qurmazi told the BBC that she did not regret reading her poems or taking Princess Noura to court, even though she had lost her place at college and was the target of online threats and abuse.

“I am not sorry. I only said what all Bahrainis feel and I haven’t done anything against my country. What I am doing, I am doing for my country,” she said.

Her case was adjourned to 7 February after three witnesses failed to turn up.

No-one from the government was available to comment on the charges against Ms al-Khalifa.

Under suspicion

With tensions continuing between the opposition and the government, the Bahrain judiciary continues to be suspected of being neither independent or balanced.

Sir Nigel Rodley was a member of Cherif Bassiouni’s team investigating human rights abuses in Bahrain.

A former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, he told the BBC: “I agree with Cherif that the system as a whole finds dissent more dangerous than official criminality, and I see no sign that that they have moved away from that position.”

And as long as that position remains entrenched, and as long as the judicial system remains under a cloud, it is hard to see any early end to the anger and distrust that is standing in the way of reconciliation.

Several thousand Bahrainis marched near the capital Manama on Friday to demand reforms in a protest called by the Shiite opposition in the tiny but strategic Sunni-ruled Gulf kingdom, witnesses said.

The demonstrators also called for the departure of the king’s uncle Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, who has been prime minister for more than four decades.

Thousands of men and women protested in Al-Bilad al-Qadim, waving Bahraini flags and brandishing pictures of political detainees, the witnesses said.

“National action calling for democratic change will not stop … until all rights have been granted,” opposition groups said in a statement.

“The action of the people of Bahrain on the ground has lasted for two years and will not end — the opposition will act every day with demonstrations until all our demands are met,” it added.

Referring to a call by King Hamad on January 23 for a new round of national dialogue, the statement said “this dialogue is obscure and does not reflect a serious will on the part of the authorities to meet popular demands.”

Bahrain, ruled by the minority Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty, has been rocked by Shiite-led protests since February 2011.

Despite a bloody crackdown on protesters in Manama between mid-February and mid-March that year, sporadic demonstrations have continued in villages around the capital.

The International Federation for Human Rights says 80 people have died since the start of the Arab Spring-inspired uprising on February 14, 2011.

Bahrain is home to the US Fifth Fleet and strategically situated across the Gulf from Shiite Iran.